Derry Moore: In the Shadow of the Raj

Harking back to each of its bygone eras, renowned photographer Derry Moore presents a unique view of India in all its magnificent, sumptuous, and sometimes faded glory.

Derry Moore first began photographing India in the 1970s, where he encountered the unique atmosphere of a country that seemed suspended in time. In his photographs of the stately architecture and sprawling landscapes, Moore captures the continent’s unique visual identity from its Ancient and Medieval temples, through the Mughal period, up to the architecture of the European colonial era. In so doing, he captures the essence of India at a time before the homogenising tide of globalisation swept the country. Moore’s architectural photographs of richly decorated temples, imposing colonnades, intricate multifoil arches, and formal gardens reflect the interaction between British and Indian styles. Featuring black-and-white photographs of the grand palaces and lavish, marble ballrooms that embody India’s past, this book also explores Moore’s portraits of cultural icons, high society women, as well as some of the servants and staff who form a continued, yet fading, presence within the architectural spaces. Including many of Moore’s most popular images, plus more than 40 photographs that have never been published before, this comprehensive book will appeal to anyone who has a love of India, and the often breathtakingly beautiful, and timeless aesthetics of India’s past, which can only be seen in the shadow of its present.